This Mad Love
by madiamazing
Summary: From tumblr prompt: E/C "Your heart is pounding."


**Figured I'd post this tumblr prompt here as well for any who might have missed it! Please enjoy, and review. :)**

* * *

 _ **~This Mad Love~**_

* * *

Christine was almost positive she was going mad.

Surely there could be no other possible explanation for her behavior. She had to be slipping deeper and deeper into insanity the more time spent with her masked voice instructor, otherwise she would not feel as if she were dying with every excruciating moment that he did not touch her.

Which were, unfortunately, most moments. She knew Erik struggled with human contact for whatever reason; only God knew of the haunting demons that defined his past. He could hardly handle even the smallest of caresses to her face, the briefest holdings of hand, and it was progressively getting harder for her to handle.

But why?

She could think of only two options: madness…and, of course, the more terrifying option: love.

Christine wondered, as she watched his long, skilled fingers master his glorious instrument for her pleasure alone, if this was precisely what Erik had meant when he had confessed his love for her, assured her that he was _dying_ of love for her. Was this what dying felt like? Not being able to breathe correctly when near him, stomach twisting in some strange mixture of sickness and excitement when he said her name, body trembling when he stood close, skin burning wherever he touched, even accidental brushes, heart racing so quickly that it felt as if it would burst through her chest…?

Was _that_ love?

" _Christine_ ," Erik's honey smooth voice caressed her ears as he continued to play, warm with a hint of concern, breaking her from her troubled, confused thoughts. "You are going to cause permanent damage to those perfect lips if you keep biting them like that. What is the matter?"

She released her lip from her teeth, face turning pink to have been caught. She had not even realized she'd been doing it.

"N-nothing, Erik," she stammered. "Just keep playing, please."

He obeyed, but she felt the intensity of his blazing eyes stay on her, which only served to make her face redder, her hands tremble harder in her lap. And when she finally could not resist meeting those oceanic depths with the wide brown of her own, his playing ceased altogether.

Erik rose, half-masked face hard with concentrated worry as long legs closed the distance between them. She stood from her chair before he could reach her, opening her mouth as if to assure him she was fine, but the words caught in her throat as his callused hand came up to check her forehead. _Of course,_ she thought, internally rolling her eyes, _he would have no problem touching me if he assumed I was unwell._

"You are very warm," he observed, moving his hand to her flushed cheek. "Are you ill, Christine?"

She shook her head, releasing a shuddering breath as her shaking hand came up to hold his to her face before he could move it. "N-not physically, Erik."

He stared down at her, visible brow furrowing when she held up her free hand, showing him how it trembled. Then, she took his other hand with it, slowly guiding it to the left side of her upper chest, pressing it there and trying not to lose her courage as he choked out a gasp.

They were both silent for a moment, until Erik realized her motive for placing his hand there. "Your heart is pounding." The statement was obvious, but his voice was laced with tortured confusion.

Did he really not understand what she was trying to tell him?

She swallowed. "Yes. I…," her voice held nearly no volume, and she attempted to clear her throat quietly, cheeks burning. "Erik, is…this h-how you feel?"

His eyes widened as understanding finally hit him, full of disbelief and hope and fear and joy and…

Christine could not wait to figure out what else. She leaned in, standing on her toes to press a testing kiss to his startled lips, swallowing his choked cry. His lips were surprisingly warm and soft, the unique taste of them unlike anything she could have ever imagined, as well as the feeling kissing them instilled in her. How could something feel so Earth shattering, so bewildering, and yet, so very, perfectly right?

When she finally found the strength to pull away from his clumsy, shocked, wonderful kiss, they were both gasping for air.

"You…" he rasped in agony. "Christine…you must be mad."

A hysteric, breathless giggle burst through her lips at that, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, hiding her red face in his chest. His arms hung limp at his sides, until she felt one hesitantly come around her shoulders, the other ever so tentatively beginning to stroke her dark curls.

"Oh, Erik…" she whispered, pressing herself closer to him, her hands fisting into the suit coat at his back. She felt amazing there, in his arms, drinking in his scent, relishing their closeness, and she feared she would never be able to leave. "No. I must be in love."


End file.
